The present invention is directed to a powered toothbrush and in particular to a toothbrush head having movably mounted bristles. Various types of powered toothbrushes are generally known in the art. Reference is made to U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,916 which relates to an electrically driven toothbrush having a motor drive for rotating a drive shaft. The drive shaft is connected to a bristle holder on the head of the toothbrush in such a manner that rotation of the drive shaft causes the bristle holder to rotationally oscillate back and forth. Various other arrangements are known for oscillating a bristle holder mounted to the head of an electric toothbrush.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,416,942 shows a further type of powered toothbrush wherein the head includes a pair of concentrically arranged sections, each of which is driven in a rotational oscillating manner in opposite directions. The toothbrush head, however, includes only the two counter-oscillating sections. The head does not include any other sections on which bristles may be mounted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,032,313 discloses a household appliance which would be used for cleaning, polishing or massaging. One such appliance is a toothbrush. The head has a plurality of co-axially rotatable or parallel linearly movable sections. No provision is made on the head for other bristle containing sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,567 discloses an electrically driven toothbrush which includes a rotatable brush head having bristles thereon. Adjacent to the brush head are a further group of bristles each of which rotates around its own axis.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,796,641 relates to a spotting brush usable for dry-cleaning wherein a pair of side by side heads are rotatably mounted.